The Minnesota Timberwolves interviewed Terry Porter earlier this week (the full story on that can be found in the previous post(s)), but today David Kahn and owner Glen Taylor sat down with Mike Woodson as a potential Wolves head coach candidate.

As Kahn & Taylor sat down with Woodson, eleven of the Minnesota Timberwolves employees (on the business side of things) were laid off according to a report from the Associated Press.  Many of the 11 employees were a part of the sales department and AP also reports that teams such as Charlotte among others, have begun to do the same amidst the NBA lockout.

Back to Mike Woodson, though.  Mike Woodson is the former Atlanta Hawks head coach.  Before all that however, Mike Woodson was an NBA player spending 11 seasons in the Association.  He was selected 12th overall in the 1980 NBA Draft to the New York Knicks he played with the Knicks from 80-81, with the Nets from 81-82, with the Kings from 82-86, the Clippers 86-88, 88-91 with the Rockets and just 1991 with the Cavaliers.  

He’s only had the one head coaching job—with the Atlanta Hawks from 2004-2010.  His career coaching records stands at 206-286.

Woodson’s defensive mindset is certainly what the Timberwolves need in order to become the outstanding team they’re capable of being, but David Kahn has been adamant that he wants a coach with a real up-tempo style of playing to get Ricky Rubio and all these young athletic guys up and down the court in a hurry.—Most would disagree that this is what the TWolves should be doing—I agree they should play a little more uptempo, but if that’s the case, they need to have an incredibly strong D, ‘run n gun’ only gets you so far!

Woodson was fired (or rather not resigned) before last season (and replaced by then assistant coach Larry Drew) after the Atlanta Hawks were eliminated from the playoffs by the Orlando Magic in an 0-4 sweep.

Woodson is also one of the last two candidates for the Detroit Pistons job—taking over for John Kuester who was fired a month or so ago (Boston assistant and former Nets head coach—Lawrence Frank is the ‘other candidate’).

That’s all for now, stay tuned for all your TWolves news, information & updates even through the lockout!  Thanks for reading and GO WOLVES!

Yesterday the Minnesota Timberwolves decided to let go there coach of two years: Kurt Rambis after a tumultuous two seasons that resulted in a 32-132 record. 

As such, the Timberwolves are again on the coaching hunt and names have begun to surface recently.

The first of course being Bernie Bickerstaff.  We’ve had a few different stories on Bernie, but that idea can basically be scrapped.  The idea was that the Wolves would hire Bernie and keep his son J.B. (already an assistant in Minnesota), in hopes that after a few years Bernie would throw the reins to his son, however news broke today that J.B. Bickerstaff had accepted an assistant coaching job with the Houston Rockets under Kevin McHale.

Now, yet another name has surfaced.  Don Nelson-formerly of the Golden State Warriors (before he was basically forced out, then they hired Keith Smart—fired him this summer and now analyst Mark Jackson is the new Warriors head coach).  Don Nelson is reportedly showing interest in this Timberwolves roster that is loaded with young talent.  There are a few big questions on Don Nelson.  1.) Is he the right fit?  Anyone who has won the most games as a coach in NBA history should be the right fit for any team…right?  Well, the bigger question is—at 71 years of age, is Nelson the right coach for such a young inexperienced team?  2.) How much money is Nelson going to demand?  Glen Taylor is already having to shell out the remaining salary on the remaining 2 years of Rambis’ contract, so the thought is—they’ll likely look for a cheaper option…unfortunately!

Nelson became the most winningest coach in NBA history late in the 09-10 season and has an overall record of 1,335-1,063 (.557) as he’s coached in Milwaukee, New York, Dallas and of course Golden State—which links him to two current Minnesota players—Anthony Tolliver & Anthony Randolph who both spent a year with Nelson before he was let go.

Of course Don Nelson isn’t the only veteran coach the Timberwolves could/should look into—Rick Adelman (formerly of the Rockets), Larry Brown (formerly of the Charlotte Bobcats—was fired earlier in the 2010-11 season) and Jerry Sloan (formerly of the Utah Jazz and currently retired in the midst of the 2010-11 season). 

The sad truth is that David Kahn will make a move that he’ll love as he leaves the entire organization and fan base left, scratching our heads.  Beaming with pride he’ll introduce him and puzzled we’ll continue to question why Glen Taylor lets him call the shots…

That’s all for now, the coaching list is likely to grow in the coming weeks and we’ll be here to bring you all the updates as it’s likely there won’t be much else TWolves news to discuss.  Thanks for reading and check back daily for all TWolves news and updates.  GO WOLVES!

UPDATE: According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports the Timberwolves have reportedly offered a trade package—that includes Flynn to the Philadelphia 76ers for Andre Iguodala.  The Sixers have stated that they want an impact player for Andre, not a salary-dump, as such, Flynn will not be enough for the TWolves to snag Andre Iguodala.

The 6th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft Jonny Flynn is reportedly on the trade block and the Knicks may be looking to acquire the 2nd-year vet.

Flynn’s numbers took a major hit last season after missing a good portion of the season to recover from offseason hip surgery.

With Ricky Rubio now coming to Minnesota and clearly the point guard of the future for the Wolves and Luke Ridnour as the probable backup next season, Flynn is now expendable.

The New York Knicks have had preliminary discussions with Minnesota, but no formal deal is in place as the Knicks debate whether or not Flynn would be a viable backup to Chauncey Billups for at least one season.

Frank Isola of the New York Daily News states that New York guard Toney Douglas would likely be the player traded for Flynn.  However, Isola points out that Douglas is coming off major shoulder surgery, which may make him hard to deal.

This obviously isn’t the first rumor we’ve heard regarding the Minnesota Timberwolves’ point guard Jonny Flynn, he’s been linked to the Phoenix Suns & Toronto Raptors among others in the past.

Stay tuned for the news, information and updates on your Minnesota Timberwolves all year round.  Thanks for reading and GO WOLVES!

Two former Minnesota Timberwolves have finally attained the Championship Gold in the NBA.  Brian Cardinal played for Minnesota in ‘08-‘09 & ‘09-‘10 and Corey Brewer who started his career in Minnesota and played for the Wolves earlier this season.

Brian Cardinal got his first ring after 11 years in the NBA-playing for: Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and finally the Dallas Mavericks.

Corey Brewer was drafted in 2007 by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 7th overall pick.  Through 4 years he’s got his first ring with the Champion Mavericks.  He was traded in the Carmelo Anthony deal from Minnesota to New York.  The Knicks later waived the great defender and the Mavericks later signed him to a 3-year deal.

Cardinal played in 8 of the Mavs’ postseason games, averaging 3.1mpg, 0.4rpg & 0.9ppg.  Not an integral part of the Mavs’ postseason run.  However, after Brendan Haywood went down with an injury, he saw his minutes increase in the Finals provide a lot of hustle, hard work and defense for Dallas.

Brewer saw even less time in the postseason.  He played 6 games, averaging 3.8mpg, 0.7spg & 1.5ppg.  However, unlike Cardinal, Brewer didn’t play at all in the Finals.  In fact, the last game he played in the Finals was 5 minutes in the 1st game of the Playoffs Semi-Finals against the Thunder.

Even though, neither were big contributors for the Mavericks this season or postseason, but nonetheless they’ve both got their rings.

Thanks for reading and remember to stay tuned for all the up-to-date TWolves news, information and updates all offseason long.  Thanks for reading-CONGRATS MAVS & GO WOLVES!

Wesley Johnson of the Minnesota Timberwolves was honored earlier this week, by making the 2nd All-Rookie Team in the NBA.  

Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers and John Wall of the Washington Wizards headlined the 1st team, along with them: New York’s Landry Fields, Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins and San Antonio’s Gary Neal.

Wesley Johnson finished 7th overall in the final voting for rookies (conducted by NBA coaches).  He averaged 9ppg and 3rpg for the Wolves in his first season.

The following is a list of the potential center free agents come summer.  Some, have early termination options (player & team), others are restricted free agents (any team that makes them an offer can be matched by their current team) and lastly unrestricted free agents.

This is a look at all the possible center free agents and isn’t necessarily a list of players that the Timberwolves need to target, but rather a list of the potential free agents and what they could bring to the table for Minnesota.

-Nene Hilario (ETO): Nene is, without a doubt the biggest NBA center free agent this summer.  However, he has an early termination option and could still be with the Denver Nuggets for another season or sign an extension for long-term.  Nene has been linked to such teams as: the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, Portland Trailblazers & New York Knicks.  Miami & New York both would have to trade other pieces to be able to sign him to a contract he’d accept.  Houston & Portland could potentially work something out, however Minnesota seems like it could be a destination as well.  I’m not quite sure that the best free agent center is going to leave a contender (Nuggets) to join a continually struggling squad (Timberwolves).  I would expect the Nuggets and Nene to work out a long-term contract that’ll keep him in Denver, after all, that’s where he wants to be.

-Ronny Turiaf (PO): Ronny Turiaf, currently a member of the New York Knicks and their current starting center.  Turiaf is an undersized center and isn’t exactly a top-notch option for most teams.  I think you can be assured that Turiaf will remain with the Knicks and accept his $4M+ option.

-Shaquille O’Neal (PO): Shaquille O’Neal has had a season plagued by injury.  A lot of leg problems for the 39-year-old dominant big man.  Shaq, has proven that even in limited time can still be a force on both ends of the floor.  That being said, do I think he’ll be back for another season in Bean Town or anywhere for that matter?  I really don’t think so.  The old timers, time is winding down and I do believe this ‘10-‘11 season will be his last.

-Ryan Hollins (PO): You better believe that this young big man will be accepting his player option for another season in Cleveland.  Ryan Hollins (the former Timberwolf) has a player option for $2M+ and you and I both know he won’t be able to grab that kind of money in free agency.  He’s an athletic center who can jump out of the gym, however, beyond that, well….there is no beyond that.

-Zydrunas Ilgauskas (PO): Z!  The 7-3 big man is currently a member of the Miami Heat.  He’s gotten a few starts, but has gotten some significant time off the bench as well.  No matter the end result of the Heat’s playoff run, Z will be back in the League for another season and I guarantee you, if that’s the case, it’ll be in Miami, on a contender, in quest for a ring!

-Aaron Gray (PO): Aaron Gray of the New Orleans Hornets is one big man!  A 7-foot 270+lb.  There’s really nothing beyond his size though.  He’s a role player and always will be.  The Timberwolves have Pek as their backup center, but may be in search for a 3rd string big, Gray could be their man.  The Hornets could have him back and I could see him re-upping with the Hornets however.

-Marc Gasol (R): After Nene, Marc Gasol is the next best free agent center.  Considering he’s a few years younger than Nene and could still become even better, you could argue he’s the biggest free agent center name.  Gasol is a restricted free agent and the Grizzlies seem to have every intention of matching any offer Gasol receives.  The Knicks seem to be the most interested team in his services.  I know a lot of Wolves fans ‘salivate’ (if that’s the correct word) at the thought of a Love-Gasol frontcourt.  

-DeAndre Jordan (R): DeAndre has made some bounds this season along with his buddy Blake Griffin in the Clippers frontcourt.  Jordan has become a solid low-post defender.  At just 22 years old, he’d be a great option for any team to pick up.  However, the Clippers have made it clear that they have every intention on Jordan being their center of the future after starting him over Chris Kaman (a former All-Star).  I’d expect the Clips to match any offer.  Now, turning to the Wolves, looking at a Love-Jordan frontcourt would be offense-defense, old school-athleticism, young potential-young potential.  It’s certainly a interesting option.

-Greg Oden (R): Greg Oden is another name that has had some mumblings throughout the TWolves community.  Oden has had an injury-riddled career.  The former #1 pick has proven he can be a difference-maker for his squad when healthy, however, his knees haven’t been able to hold up.  Oden will be a restricted free agent and the Blazers are expected to match any offers, however the Wolves may be able to acquire the 7-footer.  When healthy he would bring a defensive force to the Wolves next to Love on the frontline.

-Tyson Chandler: Yet another big name the Wolves could certainly look to acquire.  Tyson Chandler is currently a member of the championship-contending Dallas Mavericks who just swept the Lakers 4-0 on their way to the Conference Finals.  Chandler and he Mavs will likely come to some sort of contract agreement to keep the lengthy defender next to a perfect counterpart (Nowitzki).  Hopes are high that Chandler would be an equally impressive center next to Love in the frontcourt.

-Samuel Dalembert: A veteran shot-blocker with the ability to change games with his interior defense.  Dalembert is a veteran big man, who beyond his defense isn’t a great asset in the frontcourt.  However his defense would be a welcome addition to Love and Beasley as well as the Timberwolves lackluster team defense overall.  Dalembert is a name that is on more than a few radars and I’d expect him to sign for a bargain with the New York Knicks as their startin center next to Amar’e in their frontcourt.

-Yao Ming: The tallest player currently in the NBA at 7-6 has struggled with foot injuries in the past few years.  His enormous frame is damaging his feet, just like others before him: Bill Walton.  Yao, when healthy, is a changes the game for his squad.  His massive frame clogs up the middle and is not only a low-post defensive force, but his interior offense is probably the best of any center free agent.  Yao is also one of the League’s best free throw shooting big man.  Yao will likely sign for a small contract to stay in Houston, but I guarantee he’s an option the Wolves will consider.

-Nenad Krstic: A small piece of the Boston-Oklahoma City trade that featured Jeff Green, Kendrick Perkins & Nate Robinson.  Nenad is currently a reserve center for the Celtics, but I wouldn’t expect they’ll take him back.  Nenad will likely jump on with another team as a 2nd or 3rd string center.  He’s not an option for the Wolves that makes sense unless he’d be a deep bench warmer.

-Joel Pryzbilla: Pryzbilla was vocal in stating, that before the Trade Deadline, he wanted to stay in Portland for the remainder of the season and possibly his career.  That didn’t happen, Pryzbilla was a part of the deal that sent Gerald Wallace to the Portland Trailblazers.  Pryzbilla didn’t play much at all and was shut down with injuries.  He could be back as a center for the Bobcats in the future, but before he was traded he said that in free agency, he would also possibly consider offers from the Bucks (where he started his career) or the New York Knicks who are desperate for some quality big men.

-Chuck Hayes: The 6-6 center Chuck Hayes started his career and he will end his career in Houston.  Hayes wants to remain in Houston long-term as do the Rockets.  Hayes is a physical defender and center but is simply a reserve.  Hayes is a Rocket and will continue to be a Rocket.

-Jeff Foster: The Indiana Pacers 2nd string center (behind Roy Hibbert) Foster is a free agent this summer.  Foster is a veteran presence in the locker room and a quality reserve center for any team.  His name has been linked to the New York Knicks mostly.  Foster isn’t an option that makes sense for the Wolves, but Jeff will likely garner a lot of interest of contenders in search of a quality backup.

-Nazr Mohammed: Nazr was traded from the Bobcats to the Thunder just before the Trade Deadline.  Mohammed is a quality veteran, not a starter-quality big man, but a reserve big man that can make a difference with his overall play.  He’s the kind of big man that is solid overall, but doesn’t really do anything special altogether. 

-Erick Dampier: Erick Dampier was picked up as the 5th center for the Miami Heat earlier in the year.  After some time he secured a role as the starting center.  Dampier is a big body in the post.  A very physical center.  More of a defensive player, who will occasionally get involved on offense.  He fits well with the Heat as they don’t expect a whole lot from him.  A few boards, low-post D and just a rough physicality.  I’d expect him to be back in Miami next year.

-Dan Gadzuric: Gadzuric was traded from the Bucks to the Warriors and from the Warriors to the Nets in a matter of just over half a year.  Gadzuric is a reserve center that won’t get a lot of time, but is an insurance big man.  Dan may get an offer from a contender, but the Wolves won’t be a team that comes knocking.

-Alexis Ajinca: Ajinca was traded from the Mavericks to the Raptors earlier this year.  He’s likely the worst available free agent center.  The 7-footer will likely catch on with another team, simply because of his young age and possibility of being able to improve.  Ajinca won’t be an option for Minnesota though.

Some of Anthony Randolph’s 2010-11 Season Highlights

Timberwolves fans had yet another season of turmoil this year as they saw their young squad lose an NBA-worst 65 games!  With just 17 wins, the Minnesota Timberwolves will have the best mathematical chance of grabbing the top pick in July’s 2011 NBA Draft.  They’ll have a 25% at that top pick, but that also means they could fall as far as the fourth pick.

Along the way to the NBA’s worst record, the Timberwolves had a few bright spots.

The first came in the summer, when they were able to steal away Michael Beasley from the Miami Heat for just a second round pick (it’ll end up being the 1st pick in the second round (31st pick) in this year’s Draft).  The Miami Heat were trying to clear cap space and they decided to give up 2008s #2 pick for practically nothing!  I remember last summer, hearing the Heat were looking to move Beasley for the best offer.  I remember really hoping that the Wolves would pursue a trade.  I remember hearing the Charlotte Bobcats and the Toronto Raptors were both interested, but ultimately decided against pursuing the “troubled” young forward, the Wolves picked him up and he was, without a doubt a valuable asset to this young team and should be for years to come.  A month or two into the season, there was a report that Michael Beasley was happy to be in Minnesota and hoped to get an extension in the future, so he could stay (below this section is a link to this story from my old blog: Michael Beasley Loves Minnesota).  At one point Beasley led the Wolves in scoring with 20+ppg but after a few ankle injuries his performance dropped off a bit on the offensive end and Kevin Love took that top scorer spot and never “gave it back”.  There’s no doubt he has talent, any Wolves fan can tell you the flashes of greatness they saw this season.  However, I think Martell Webster said it best (and I am paraphrasing) but he said something along the lines of, that until these young guys understand they don’t have to lead the league in scoring our team will suffer.  I highly doubt he was talking about a much more efficient Love, but rather, the “ball hog” (at times) Beasley.

http://codyandersontimberwolves.blogspot.com/2010/12/michael-beasley-loves-minnesota.html

 Another “bright spot” for the Wolves this year was Darko’s improvement at center.  The big man labeled bust for his first 8 years in the League signed a 4-year $20M contract with Minnesota last summer and this year, after he got into good conditioning he certainly made some steps forward.  However, he was quite inconsistent and seemed to lack confidence and determination while playing.  He started the season off atrociously, but after getting comfortable, he seemingly played much better and at one point GM David Kahn stated that he expects Darko to continue to improve and be a strong All-Star candidate in the future.  The 25-year-old 8-year veteran saw his performance drop off a bit, there would be most games when he’d contribute a bucket or two, a handful of rebounds and a couple blocks and other games where he’d erupt for 15+ points, grab nearly 10 boards and throw back a handful of shots.  However, the problem was that he consistently played awful.  At the end of the season press conference GM David Kahn stated that he wasn’t sure what Darko’s role would be next season, that all depends on him (Darko) and how much work he puts in this offseason.

A bright spot for the Timberwolves was certainly the emergence of Kevin Love.  The young forward was one of the few things Wolves fans had to boast about.  After living in Al Jefferson’s shadow (or at least, because of Big Al, he didn’t get a lot of PT) as well as the questionable relationship with Head Coach (for now) Kurt Rambis.  After trading away Jefferson to the Jazz this season, the Timberwolves and Rambis had no choice but to give Love extended minutes and he delivered big time!  A small note: during the offseason, David Kahn was looking at potentially trading away Kevin Love to the Golden State Warriors for Anthony Randolph, but Randolph was sent to New York in the David Lee deal and obviously came to the Wolves in the Melo deal.  Kevin Love saw improvements in nearly every statistical category this season.  Games: 60-73.  Games Started: 22-73.  Minutes per game: 28.6-35.8.  3-point %: 42%-47%.  3-point FGs: 35/106-88/211.  Total Rebounds: 658-1112.  Rebounds per game: 11-15.2.  Total Points: 842-1476.  Points per game: 14-20.2.  Assists: 136-184.  He was a consistent force for the Wolves every game out and always delivered.  His 64 total double-doubles and a record 53-consecutive set a new NBA record since the ABA/NBA merger.  He also made the all-star team.  He got the snub in the original voting, but the Commissioner David Stern chose him as the injury replacement for Yao Ming.  He also grabbed his first NBA rebounding title, beating out Dwight Howard and Zach Randolph.  He’s also the most likely candidate for the Most Improved Player of the Year award.  His 31-31 game against the New York Knicks was impressive as well as the first player since Moses Malone to have a 30-30 game!  He’s had a season to remember and at just 22 years of age, he’s only begun to reach his potential, he could be a real star in this League someday!

Yet another bright spot for the Minnesota Timberwolves was being able to grab Anthony Randolph away from the New York Knicks just before the trade deadline.  Corey Brewer and 3rd string Kosta Koufos were both a part of that deal.  Brewer was sent to the Knicks (and later waived and signed with the Mavs) and Koufos was sent to the Nuggets.  Randolph has shown some serious potential in his first 3 years in the League and this season when Love went down with that groin injury he saw a few starts and a big increase in minutes and he continually delivered.  Eddy Curry was also part of that deal that sent AR to Minnesota, but the Wolves waived him.

The Wolves have a good group of young talent.  With rookie Wesley Johnson, All-star Kevin Love, Michael Beasley & Anthony Randolph as well as a high draft pick this season and Ricky Rubio potentially coming over for next year, they’ve got a solid group of talent.

Sure, the Wolves have had some bright spots this season, but in a season with 17 wins, there are certainly a lot of things, we’d like to forget.  

The first of which was the inconsistent game of rookie Wesley Johnson.  There were games, especially against the Lakers (for whatever reason; he did get “mentored” in the offseason by superstar Kobe Bryant) but he’d be playing the Wizards and shoot a putrid percentage and score a handful of points.  His inconsistency really did hurt the Wolves.  When Brewer was still with the team, Brewer was competing with Wes for the starting job and for awhile Corey got the starting shooting guard spot because of his energy, which gave Wes some incentive to step up his game, after he was traded away he seemed to return to old habits.  

Another forgettable performance was Jonny Flynn’s season.  He returned about 25 games into the season after undergoing offseason hip surgery.  When he returned, he did NOT play well at all.  As some are calling it: “the lost season” of course this was a “lost season” for the TWolves as a whole.  Flynn showed small glimpses of being a capable point guard, but his turnovers, bad passing, questionable decision-making, weak perimeter defense and questionable shots all contributed to an awful season for the second-year player.  It’s almost certain Flynn has played his last game for the Wolves, with Ridnour, Rubio and potentially Irving (if the Wolves get the top pick) all in the “cards” for the Wolves.

The Wolves are a young squad, they’ve; like every team; had some good and bad, however in a season where you lose 65 games, the positives are certainly outweighed by the numerous negatives.

There will be more posts throughout the offseason from everything from CBA updates, transactions, offseason workout reports, noteworthy stories, player biographies and all other pertaining Minnesota Timberwolves information.  As usual thanks for reading and GO WOLVES!

Anthony Tolliver and Anthony Randolph reserve forwards for the Minnesota Timberwolves have made the most of Kevin Love’s absence.  With Kevin Love out for 6 of the Wolves last 8 games, reserve forwards Anthony Randolph and Tolliver have stepped up to fill the void left on the boards and on the offensive end.

Anthony Randolph has started 3 of those 6 games Kevin Love has missed.  The first against the Dallas Mavericks, the next against the Dallas Mavericks and the last against the Boston Celtics.  In those first two games Randolph shined bright.  Against Dallas he dumped in 31 points (a new career-high) and added 11 rebounds.  Against Oklahoma City he contributed 24 points and 15 rebounds.  Then came the Boston game and with it some intense defensive prowess by that group of talented veterans.  They knew what Randolph did in the previous two games and they made it a point to stop him at every opportunity.  The Celts held Randolph to just 17 minutes as he got into foul trouble and he had just 3 points and 4 boards on the night.  Since then, he’s returned to the bench as a sixth man and the past two games, he’s been a big contributor.  Randolph went off for 20 points and 10 boards in 30 minutes in a narrow loss to the Nets.  Then the next night (yesterday) against Phoenix he scored 19 off the bench in 28 minutes.

Anthony Tolliver hasn’t let this opportunity go by the wayside either.  In those 6 games Love has recently missed the past few weeks.  Tolliver has stepped up, mostly in a reserve role for the T’Wolves.  He really stepped up in that game against the Celtics when Randolph had to sit with foul trouble.  Against Boston, Tolliver played 36 minutes and contributed 16 points and 15 rebounds.  The next night against Chicago Tolliver was once again a big contributor off the bench.  In 24 minutes he added 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting.  Against the Grizzlies he added 12 points and the following game against New Jersey he played 30 minutes and had 14 points and 5 boards.  Then came last night’s game against the Phoenix Suns, which marked Anthony Tolliver’s first start of the season for the Timberwolves and his 30th start of his career (last year he started 29 of 44 games he played for the Warriors).  In 39 minutes against Phoenix he had 10 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists.  Kurt Rambis said he needed someone to match up with Channing Frye and someone with a lot of mobility: Tolliver.

Both of these Anthony’s are somewhat of NBA journeymen in their short NBA careers.  Tolliver is only 25 years old and the Timberwolves mark his 4th NBA team in 3 years.  From ‘08-‘09 he played a small role for the Spurs (just 19 games) in ‘09-‘10 he played 44 games for the Warriors and 2 for the Portland Trailblazers, as well as spending some time in the NBA D-League.  Randolph is just 21 years old and is playing for his third NBA team since being selected 14th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft.  After two seasons and 96 games with the Golden State Warriors, Randolph was traded this summer to the New York Knicks along with Kelenna Azubuike and Ronny Turiaf for forward David Lee.  He quickly fell out of favor with Mike D’Antoni and was “banished” to the bench, playing minimally and in just 17 games.  Then, he came to the Timberwolves along with Eddy Curry (later waived and is currently in talks with the Heat to sign for the playoffs) in that blockbuster Carmelo Anthony deal, that sent reserve center Kosta Koufos to the Nuggets and Corey Brewer to the Knicks (later waived and signed by Dallas).  Since then he’s played in 20 games, starting 3.  Most people think, he’s got great potential and could/should be the Wolves starting center next season (in place of Darko Milicic).  A small sidenote, both of these players (Randolph & Tolliver) know each and have played with each other: last year with the Golden State Warriors!

Needless to say, both of these talented and young individuals have proven themselves to be valuable assets to the Wolves and should only get better!

With Love, who they say will most likely be held out the last 3 games (whether it’s for lottery sakes or not), I’d expect Tolliver and Randolph continue to split minutes and make the most of the opportunity.

The T’Wolves are back in action Saturday night versus the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center, tipoff is set for 8:30pmCT and you can expect a full-gameday preview to be found on this site before then.  Until then, thanks for reading and GO WOLVES!

According to a report from the Pioneer Press, it appears as though, they’ve received word from Rubio’s family that he will indeed join the Wolves for next season, that is, if there’s a season.

The FC Barcelona point, has been reluctant to join the Wolves in Minnesota, stating that he would rather play for a team on the East Coast like, say, the New York Knicks, that way he can be closer to his family.

If Rubio does indeed decide to join the T’Wolves, that will be an issue, once again, at the point guard.  The Wolves signed 29-year-old Luke Ridnour to a 4-year contract last summer.  They also have the proceeding pick from the ‘09 Draft to Rubio-Jonny Flynn and lastly, seldom-used Sebastian Telfair.  The Timberwolves were active at the NBA Trade Deadline, trying to move Jonny Flynn, however they couldn’t find any takers or any suitable offers.  I’d expect Telfair to leave through free agency this year and Jonny Flynn be moved elsewhere, possibly bringing in another wing player.

Kevin Love has said in the past, that he met Rubio this summer while Love was representing Team USA, since then, Love texts Ricky once every couple of months, just to check in and try to convince him to come to Minnesota, so they can get this thing going!

With word of this coming earlier today, fans are already dreaming of a starting lineup featuring something like this, next year: PG: Rubio, SG: Johnson, SF: Beasley, PF: Love and C: Randolph.  And that is even before the Wolves get their high lottery pick in the ‘11 Draft, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kahn decided to shift a few other pieces around this offseason.

The Timberwolves will face the Chicago Bulls tomorrow at the Target Center.  Tipoff is set for 7pmCT and a full-gameday preview can be found on a previous post, a full-gameday recap can be found following the final horn.  As always, thanks for reading and GO WOLVES!